A Healthier Pasta

Can pasta get any better for you?

Yes! If it;s made with whole grains. It;s been upgraded from that horrible tasting cardboard to something more artisanal and delicious. Yesterday's Dining section in The Times had a very interesting article written by Dining regular Melissa Clark. She takes what used to be a health food into one of the fall;s hottest trends.

Whole grain pasta is made with ancient grains such as farro and spelt. Farro is grains of a certain wheat. It has to be soaked overnight to be palatable.It's usually put into salads and soups however can be made into pasta and bread. Spelt is hexaploid variety of wheat and has been used in great regularity from the Bronze Age to the Middle Ages. The flavor is different from regular spaghetti.It's a nuttier and more robust. That means the sauces have to be toned down. Forget tomato . Think butter.

I may try this natural pasta .it;s sold in Eataly, the Bastianich;s Italian food emporium New York City. What will I do with it. There's a good recipe for the pasta made with a carmelized onion Swiss chard and garlicky bread crumbs. I also like a simple pesto made with walnuts and spinach . This is the perfect winter dish. There's also one with tomato but there's also rosemary and olives to counter balance the tomatoes.

Pasta is good for you. A whole grain pasta even better.It's the perfect and tasty addition to any healthy diet!